MQ Foundation

This National Wellness Month we are featuring important, everyday actions to boost well-being in the midst of life’s difficulties. A study conducted by MQ fellow Dr. Alexandra Burton out of University College London focuses on a promising approach to improve both physical and mental health called social prescribing.

Social prescribing consists of referral to community activities such as peer groups, sports and leisure activities, and art classes to improve well-being in those experiencing loneliness or mild to moderate health problems. Increasing access to social prescribing for those with serious mental illness has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease associated with social isolation and higher levels of stress.

Whether you may be struggling with severe mental health symptoms or life’s everyday stressors, engaging with supportive social networks has been shown time and time again to boost wellness for all!



Read more about social prescribing here:

Increasing access to social prescribing for people living with severe mental illnesses at risk of cardiovascular disease | People with severe mental illnesses are at high risk of heart disease due to lack of physical activity and social isolation. Social prescribing can help, but is it accessible?

August is National Wellness Month!

Here at MQ Foundation we know that wellness means much more than just avoiding illness. Building a life of mental wellness and balance relies on groundbreaking research that points us in the right direction—whether that be small lifestyle changes or systemic innovations supporting healthier minds and communities.

Stay tuned throughout this month as we highlight science that helps us function, feel, and live better.

Here at MQ Foundation we are honored to spotlight the crucial work of Dr. Suhas Ganesh on the genetic and environmental interplay with medication used for the treatment of schizophrenia. Dr. Ganesh received the MQ Fellows Award for the 2023-2025 cycle, and currently works out of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in India to address gaps in knowledge for often under-represented communities.

The severity of adverse side effects from anti-psychotic drugs used to treat schizophrenia can greatly vary depending on genetic predisposition, as well as environmental and lifestyle factors. Often prescribed as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ remedy, these kinds of drugs can have profound metabolic and cardiovascular effects prompting closer attention to these interactions. Dr. Ganesh’s current study longitudinally monitors individuals newly diagnosed with schizophrenia, integrating extensive environmental and genetic analyses while observing outcomes.

By better understanding gene‑environment interaction, Dr. Ganesh and his team seek to tailor antipsychotic interventions and reduce adverse effects. This is essential in moving towards precision psychiatry, paving the way for personalized, efficient, and effective care. Because without research, it's just guesswork.

Read more here: https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/research/how-does-genetics-and-the-environment-affect-treatments-for-schizophrenia/

How does genetics and the environment affect treatments for schizophrenia? Antipsychotic medications used to treat schizophrenia can cause adverse side effects. Being able to predict these will improve treatments.

Research isn’t just driven by scientists, it’s powered by people. Through MQ Foundation’s Lived Experience Network, community members, patients, caregivers, and volunteers who have direct experience having and or caring for somebody with mental health conditions are able to bring their voices, insights, and stories to research. Contributions from this robust network shape studies that truly reflect real life.

A wonderful ambassador part of this network is Amazin LeThi, an athlete, LGBTQ advocate, DEI advisor and author. Overcoming early trauma, she found strength through sport and bodybuilding, which boosted her mental resilience. When asked about her perspective on the direction mental health research should head next she answered, “The intersection of LGBTQ, youth and race, mental health in the sporting context. It’s important we view through an intersectional lens when doing mental health research. This is my lived experience as a q***r, female Asian athlete. I know very well my overall wellbeing and mental health benefited from sport but many of my mental health experiences as a child also came from the hostile environment created in sports.”

Amazin’s story highlights just how important research for mental health is. Without the people who share their lived experiences, take part in studies, and help guide priorities, research wouldn’t move forward and address gaps in knowledge benefitting real people.



Read more about Amazin here: https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/mq-ambassador-profiles-meet-amazin-lethi/

Explore the network here:
https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/lived-experience-network/

Announcing the MQ Lived Experience Network | MQ Mental Health Research By including experts though lived and living experience in the design of studies we will be asking the right questions and conducting compassionate research.

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Today we want to say thank you to all of the hard-working health researchers who have dedicated their careers to making the next breakthrough in mental health research. Your work doesn’t just live in labs or journals–it shapes the treatments, hope, and practices that touch people’s daily lives.

Because of you, we are discovering better ways to prevent and treat mental illness by creating more inclusive and accessible care. Your work builds a future where lived experience and science work side by side.

We also want to recognize the volunteers, participants, and community members whose stories and time make this work possible. Without you, research cannot move forward.

👏 To every researcher, every volunteer, every curious mind—thank you. Because without research, it’s just guesswork.

Here at MQ, we are incredibly proud of our researchers making a difference in many parts of the world, in an array of communities. A dynamic and transformative MQ-research fellow from 2016-2019, Dr. Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu at Makerere University in Uganda is a perfect example of the life-saving impact researchers have.

Dr. Nakimuli-Mpungu is a highly celebrated psychiatrist, psychiatric epidemiologist, professor, and researcher who drew on her extensive background to create a culturally-adapted group support model for those with HIV experiencing depression. Implemented by health workers in communities at risk in rural Uganda, Dr. Nakimuli-Mpungu brought therapies to areas otherwise completely devoid of mental health treatment. Her interventions displayed sustained reductions in depression, PTSD symptoms, improved antiretroviral adherence, and lowered alcohol misuse.

Dr. Nakimuli-Mpungu’s revolutionary work earned her the 2016 Elsevier Foundation Early Career Award, Uganda’s Presidential Medal of Honor, and recognition on the BBC’s 100 Women list in 2020. She continues to scale her approach nationally alongside the Ugandan health ministry and shape global mental health policy through leadership roles in major psychotherapy organizations.

Dr. Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu has created a lasting impression on the world and saved countless lives with her dedication.

Learn more here: https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/research/the-effects-of-group-support-psychotherapy-delivered-by-lay-health-workers-on-depression-among-persons-living-with-hiv-in-northern-uganda/?_gl=1*1hhw2xx*_gcl_au*MTQ3MTI4MzI0NS4xNzQ3NDEwMDA0

The effects of group support psychotherapy delivered by lay health workers on depression among persons living with HIV in Northern Uganda | MQ Mental Health Research Can HIV health workers in rural Uganda be trained to treat the mental health of their patients as well as the physical?

The theme of this year’s Research Appreciation Day is exploring careers in research. Whether they're working in a lab or out in the field, there are thousands of researchers working in different ways with the goal of making the next research breakthrough.

From Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Roffman was one of the first MQ Fellows selected in 2014. Previously focused on psychosis research using brain imaging and genomics, he became interested in whether prenatal folic acid could reduce schizophrenia incidence. This shift towards studying preventative psychiatry was deemed a risky move at the time.

MQ’s support enabled Dr. Roffman to pursue a high-risk, high-reward project that bridged prenatal nutrition and long-term mental health outcomes—resulting in both scientific discovery and real-world impact. By analyzing MRI data from adolescents born before versus after folic acid fortification, they found that increased folic acid exposure aligned with healthier cortical
development and fewer psychotic symptoms. This breakthrough led to significant new funding and shaped the direction of his lab toward early brain development interventions. We take this time to thank researchers like Dr. Roffman who are willing to take the leap for the greater good.

Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gG9i_3VQ

LinkedIn This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

During our countdown to Research Appreciation Day, and everyday, we acknowledge that research isn’t just for scientists–it’s for all of us! Information presented by Dr. Emily Ball investigating the link between physical and mental health in older individuals has the potential to improve outcomes for all people.

Her MQ-supported work took a closer look at population-wide health data from Scotland and Wales to better understand which physical health conditions and prescribed medications are associated with an increased risk of developing depression. Research like this influences services and programs that support us as we age, and shares how we can maintain the healthiest versions of ourselves. If we can understand which physical illnesses make someone more likely to become depressed, we can target support to those most at risk.

Join us July 5th to acknowledge all of the work that shapes how we live, age, and thrive. Let’s celebrate the everyday impact of research on our lives!


Learn more here:

How does physical health influence depression risk in older adults? There has been an increase in older adults being diagnosed with depression, this study will examine the physical health conditions that increase the risk

We are just 11 days away from Research Appreciation Day 2025, when we all come together to celebrate the impact of research on real lives. MQ-funded from 2024-2025, Dr. Phillipa Specker
led a project that serves as a powerful example of how research can transform the lives of those in crisis.

Her work highlights a crucial public health issue, asking “How can we improve mental health treatments for displaced refugees?”. Dr. Specker worked to address gaps in knowledge surrounding mental health interventions developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), contributing to the effectiveness and affordability of these key global health efforts. From digital
tools that break down barriers, to community-led, culturally sensitive care, research like this helps touch those most in need.

Behind every statistic is a human story, and research lights the way forward. Join us in amplifying voices like these working at the intersection of displacement and mental health.



Read more here:

How can we improve mental health treatments for displaced refugees? Refugee mental health is a critical public health issue, however, responding to this need is highly challenging as 99% of the world’s refugees are displaced.

Saturday July 5th 2025 marks our third annual Research Appreciation Day celebrated here at MQ! This social media initiative recognizes crucial breakthroughs made by researchers working to improve treatments and preventions for different mental health conditions.

Research changes lives, but is often underappreciated. Stay tuned in the coming weeks while we explore the diverse career possibilities in research, and highlight innovative work done by some of our incredible fellows right here at MQ.

Today, join us in taking a look at 8 surprising reasons to celebrate research–from women leading breakthroughs, to the power of peer reviews, and the key role the public’s input plays. Without research, it’s just guesswork. Let’s take some time to thank the researchers, participants, and advocates who make progress possible.
👉 Join the conversation on July 5 using and .

Read more here: https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/research-appreciation-day-8-surprises-to-appreciate-about-research/

Today we honor Juneteenth, a crucial reminder of freedom, resilience, and the continuous pursuit towards equity. This day marks the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans, while calling attention to the fact that our journey towards justice and true equality is not over.

Here at MQ Foundation, we are dedicated to a future where mental health care is accessible and representative of all people. Systemic disparities in mental health care and research disproportionately overlook Black communities, and we believe that advancing mental health science means no one is left behind.

This Juneteenth, we reaffirm our responsibility to:
-Support research reflective of diverse experiences
-Address barriers to mental health care in marginalized communities
-Push for equity in all areas of science and health care

Let’s commemorate this day not just with words, but with action. With your help we can drive change towards a future where everyone can thrive.

3 Reasons to Attend MQ Foundation’s June 3 Webinar:
Mental Health in the Digital Age: Meeting People Where They Are

1️⃣Discover new breakthroughs in su***de prevention, especially in school-based recovery
2️⃣Learn how personalized, digital treatments are transforming care for depression
3️⃣Be part of a global conversation that brings science, technology, and compassion together

The webinar is less than one week away! Join us for this important virtual conversation with three leading researchers whose work is transforming the future of mental health care.

We’’ll hear from MQ Fellow, Dr. Marisa Marraccini, and alumnus Fellow, Dr. Zachary Cohen, who are using technology to develop innovative approaches to su***de prevention and mental health treatment. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Emily Holmes, a member of the MQ Foundation Board.

🗓️Tuesday, June 3
⏰9:30 AM–10:20 AM EST
➡️Register now: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/jnjcugy/lp/d90ff1b6-8858-4fca-841f-0c9a3e0485a3?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExYkhjdXJjOUJnV0VmcVlYRAEe3ZljCB8jsVaRPVTuMFFkE3KDe3ndqueI8aCxKZmJmoddSmohm7Z7TRSNgkQ_aem_SISryYhXNdZXKb5Ldd6ZwA